Sidney Crosby Goes Triple Gold and Other Happenings From the IIHF World Championships
By Mike Necciai
The Pittsburgh Penguins were eliminated early in post-season contention this season. But, that didn’t stop Sidney Crosby from enjoying a taste of winning on a big stage yet again as he led Team Canada to an IIHF World Championship in Prague.
Crosby tallied 11 points in 9 games as Canada racked up 66 goals in 10 games overall. Crosby is the 26th player to join the Triple Gold Club, which is comprised of players that have won an Olympic games gold, World Championship gold, and Stanley Cup. He is the first player to captain all three teams.
While it may have been hard to watch for some of the Pittsburgh Penguins faithful, Sidney Crosby seems to have found a solid chemistry with hated rival Claude Giroux, as the two of them were an almost unstoppable tandem when on the ice together.
Team Canada was a heavy favorite, but not many predicted them to blowout Russia in such a dominant fashion in the championship game. Especially considering that Russia was joined by Alex Ovechkin after the Washington Capitals were eliminated from the NHL playoffs last week.
Team Canada simply proved to be too much for anyone to match-up against. They boasted a star-studded roster similar to that of the U.S. Dream Team that dominated the Men’s basketball olympics in 1992. Names like Sidney Crosby, Jordan Eberle, Jason Spezza, Taylor Hall, Claude Giroux, Tyler Seguin, and Matt Duchesne graced Canada’s roster. How do you compete with that lineup?
Jason Spezza led the tournament in points with 14. Former Pittsburgh Penguins superstar and ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr won tournament MVP honors, and also announced that this was his last international competition. He stated that he looks to play at least one more season in the NHL, though.
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Pittsburgh Penguins Center Evgeni Malkin had a solid tournament boasting 10 points in 9 games, despite still battling an ankle injury that he suffered toward the end of the NHL regular season. Also, as expected from the classy Malkin, he was one of three Russian players that stayed on the ice during the Canadian National Anthem after the medal ceremony. Ovechkin and Viktor Tikhonov were also on the ice for the event. Kudos to all three players.
This year’s IIHF World Championships tournament seemed to take on a whole new life among hockey fans all over the world. It may be due to the recent uproar from NHL fans about the lack of scoring and poor officiating in the league, but in any case, the tournament offered an immense amount of entertainment. The stars shined bright throughout play and put skill on display for all to watch and enjoy.
How many people watched tournament games instead of Stanley Cup Playoff games when they conflicted? I sure did.
The World Championships were a nice distraction for those of us that no longer have a horse in the race for the Stanley Cup. Now that it has concluded we can enjoy what’s left of the NHL post-season, and prepare for what’s sure to be an eventful offseason.
Next: Assessing Sidney Crosby's 2014 Season